Gameloft, a publisher and developer of downloadable video games, has turned its attention to  the iPad and is driving sales of eight paid applications for Apple’s tablet in the App Store.

The games are N.O.V.A.—Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, Dungeon Hunter, Asphalt 5, Uno, NFL 2010, Let’s Golf! and Real Football 2010. Each game is optimized for the iPad’s distinctive gaming features and offer a unique set of original characteristics and gameplay.

“We wanted to be one of the first publishers to deliver games at the iPad’s launch,” said Sanette Chao, director of public relations at Gameloft, New York. “The eight games are a good mix of casual and hardcore titles.

“Like the device itself, the games we release are geared for mass-market audiences,” she said.

Gameloft creates games for mobile phones, smartphones, the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Gameloft games are also available to players on WiiWare, DSiWare, Microsoft Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Partnership agreements with leading licenses such as Uno, Ferrari, Shrek, CSI, Spider-Man and Brothers in Arms allow Gameloft to form relationships with international brands.

In addition to the partnerships, Gameloft owns and operates titles such as Real Football, Asphalt and Brain Challenge.

Gameloft ended 2009 with 55 games for iPhone and iPod touch and has surpassed 10 million paid downloads in the App Store.

Mobile gaming generates revenue
The price points for Gameloft’s iPad games range from $6.99 to $9.99.

The iPad allows players to interact with games in unique ways, according to Gameloft.

The large screen brings a higher level of graphic detail to the games in addition to the optimization of textures and models.

The screen size and depth perception ratio lets players feel immersed in the experience.

For example, Real Football 2010 was remastered to include HD-resolution grass surfaces, textures, characters and animations.

More direct and enriched controls allow for more intuitive thought and action response, as well as fully customizable buttons and mappings that fit the player’s preference.

For instance, the N.O.V.A.—Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance application for iPad includes more contextual controls in the environment. Gamers can open an airlock door by rotating three fingers and slide the button upwards to make an elevator move upstairs.

The larger screen means there will be more ambitious gameplay sequences such as increased field of depth, complex map layouts and more intense action sequences.

In N.O.V.A.—Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, the player can enable Multi Target Acquisition (MTA), which is a new feature for iPad gaming.

The player can trigger a new functionality from the regular rocket launcher, then directly draw a grid on the battlefield to kill all selected enemies on screen in one shot.

In Real Football 2010, the larger surface allows for a more strategic overview of the playing field and gave the designers more space to create comfortable control schemes.

Multiplayer challenges will also be increased on iPad and cooperative gameplay will be easier on the larger screen.

With the card game Uno, users can gather four friends and play on a single iPad using the new “One Device Multiplayer” mode. They can also connect with friends on iPad or iPhone devices for local and online WiFi multiplayer gameplay.

With iPhone and iPod touch, Apple changed the way consumers perceive and interact with their devices and created a revolutionary era for the mobile gaming industry, according to Gameloft.

The company believes that iPad games will once again transform the digital gaming experience.

“It’s really too early to speculate on the impact the iPad will have on mobile gaming, but if it’s anything like iPhone, we are all in for a very good year,” Ms. Chao said.